Red and White Roses for Jacky
by RichardJ
Summary: A version of the Bloody Jack saga set 350 years earlier, during the Wars of the Roses. Our heroine and her friends get mixed up in the battle for the English throne between the powerful lords of the House of Lancaster - red rose - and the House of York - white rose .
1. Chapter 1

Mr. L.A. Meyer is acknowledged as the creator of the Bloody Jack characters and story.

Forward: What if the Bloody Jack story was not set during the Napoleonic Wars, but 350 years earlier during the Wars of the Roses? What follows is fictional (duh!) but is, in part, a historical account of the dynastic struggle between the Houses of Lancaster and York.

The roles of three principal women of the era (Margaret of Anjou, Cecily Neville and Elizabeth Woodville) are portrayed by the Bloody Jack characters Lisette, Clarissa and Mairead. Several other Bloody Jack characters appear as substitutes for real people, including Amy, who's real life character (Margaret Paston) kept hundreds of family letters which still exist today, and provide a rich tapestry of family life in the 15th Century.

With the change of era, I've had to change some of the Bloody Jack locations. Boston, Massachusetts is replaced by Boston, England. I've also spread the story line over a longer period than Mr. Meyer's original.

Our story begins at the end of the Wars of the Roses in a small village in eastern England. Our heroine is now nearing her sixtieth year and had been looking forward to settling down to a quieter life. Unfortunately at least one person from her past has other ideas.

Part 1: 1487 - the village of Claypole, Nottinghamshire, England

Friar Peter puts down his quill at the sound of the approaching horseman. There are few travellers along this road in the best of times; and fewer still in troubled times like this. What's more, this rider seems to be pushing his horse hard. We both look out of the window and can soon see the source of the noise. The poor horse looks ready to drop and must have galloped for miles. From his attire the man is a soldier, possibly a knight. He thunders past my cottage without so much as a glance in our direction and continues his journey east. I only get a brief chance to see the man's face.

"A messenger from Stoke, no doubt," suggests Friar Peter. "Conveying news of the battle to his masters."

The village had been abuzz with gossip this morning. If Tom the baker is to be believed, the Earl of Lincoln and his Yorkist supporters have fought the king's army not far to the west of us. Over 20,000 men have met in battle. No news has yet reached us of the outcome, but my momentary glimpse of the rider's face announces the result as clear as any proclamation.

"Henry Tudor's crown is safe. The Yorkist pretender was defeated," I say.

"How could you possibly know that?" comes the sceptical reply.

"The rider. Two days ago he passed here with four others. All five were wearing white rose motifs declaring their loyalty to the House of York. When he passed just now he had removed the motif and was travelling in fear of his life. Hardly the actions of someone on the winning side."

"Hmmph. That's as may be. Well, long live King Henry VII. But we must return to the matter in hand."

'Return' is not an accurate description of where we left off our discussion. Friar Peter, a young man still in his teens, had arrived unexpectedly on my doorstep late yesterday. He had travelled over a hundred miles from the Abbey of St. Benet in Norfolk. It has taken him all the time since his arrival to find lodgings and prepare himself for his task. We were interrupted by the sound of the horseman as soon as we had settled down to begin.

"So how is Abbot Grenville?" I ask, remembering the several conflicts I've had with the overbearing and pompous abbot.

"I regret to say he died last month. Father Michael is to be the new abbot once the archbishop confirms his appointment. It is Father Michael who has sent me on this journey to record your recollections of events over the last few decades."

"I thought that the task of recording history was normally assigned to the elder friars. You seem rather young for such a task," carefully disguising my relief that one of the several men who could threaten my well-being has departed this mortal world.

"The abbot assigned everyone in the abbey to this task before he died. The elder monks are interviewing the lords and ladies while we younger ones interview … er …"

"The common folk," I add before he can say something more derogatory. "But why travel all this way to see me? There must be many others just as suitable who live much closer to St. Benet's Abbey."

"Father Michael insisted you be interviewed. He sent me all this way especially to find you."

Young Friar Peter clearly thinks he is wasting his time talking to a woman such as I, but is obedient to Father Michael's orders. I've only met Father Michael a few times. He was always polite and I never heard him speak in anger. But he was always in the shadow of his uncle, Liam Delaney. It was Liam who was like a father to me after I was orphaned at an early age.

"Well we had best begin, although my knowledge of the events of the last few decades is, at best, patchy. Where would you like me to begin?" I ask.

"I don't know. Just start with the earliest event you can remember."

I'm tempted to tell him of my early recollections of my mother and father in London; before the plague killed them along with my sister Penny. Their bodies were hardly cold before I was thrown out of our rented house. The landlord clearly expected me to go to the pearly gates the same way as my folks. He saw no value in allowing me to stay, even though the rent was paid to the end of the month.

But I didn't die. Homeless and without a friend I wandered the city with nothing but the clothes on my back. That was nearly fifty years ago. Before long I was taken in by Rooster Charlie and his gang. We eked out an existence from the streets in those dangerous times.

The long war with France was dragging on and England was in danger of losing all of its 400 year old empire in France. The vast new territory won twenty years earlier under the skilful leadership of King Henry V had been frittered away under the rule of his son, Henry VI. The English lords were desperately trying to raise more troops to protect their interests in Normandy and Gascony. But there were few volunteers to fight a losing battle, and city elders throughout the country regularly struggled to fill the latest of parliament's demand for more soldiers. Conscripting homeless teenage children had the double benefit of removing a local nuisance and swelling the numbers of the local lord's troops. The boys were sent off to fight … the girls to keep the soldiers warm at night.

The Rooster Charlie gang faired better than most, but even our luck ran out eventually. Charlie met a bloody end in a dark alley one night. I didn't wait for the city watch to come looking for the rest of our gang. I told the others to join one of the other surviving gangs and I looked for a way out of London. But escaping London was not that easy. The city gates to the north were guarded, and the only bridge over to the south bank of the river was frequented by unscrupulous men on the lookout for children for the recruiters. I was only eleven years old, but my youth would be no protection against such men.

I was walking by the docks when I saw my chance. With French military might on the rise and their ships raiding southern England in force, the king's Council had ordered the Earl of Warwick to rebuild the Royal Fleet from the parlous state to which it had dwindled since the death of Henry V a decade before. The sorry state of England's fleet was, in part, the reason for England's current woes on the continent.

Before me stood one of the latest carracks. Not one of the largest, but the _Dolphin_ was impressive enough. Although primarily designed to transport troops between England and France, it's two wooden castles mounted fore and aft provided a good platform for ship to ship combat. The centre section was where the sailors controlled the ship. The fore castle housed the archers and common soldiers, while the aft castle was for the ship's captain, and the nobles and knights. The ship's captain was taking on sailors but was having great difficulty finding men.

"You boy! You look strong enough for a life at sea," he lies as he calls to half starved me. "Forty shillings a year wages for any man who enlists; food and kit provided," he adds to the small crowd of onlookers in general. Forty shillings a year! A small fortune to my young mind. And we get fed as well.

"I'll enlist," I cry.

"Good boy. What's your name?"

"Faber, sir. Mar … Jacky Faber."


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Of course there is the small problem of me being a girl, and girls being unwelcome among superstitious sailors on board ship. But for the moment I've escaped detection. Those of us who are inexperienced in the ways of the sea are paired with an old hand. That's when I first meet Liam Delaney. He's an Irishman who stands for no nonsense, particularly from bullying squires like Alexander Bliffil.

But even Liam can't protect me from Bliffil's attentions all of the time. At first I think Bliffil has realised I'm a girl, but soon see it is simply because he likes picking on the youngest and smallest members of the crew.

We are assigned our fighting stations. I breath a sigh of relief when Bliffil is placed in charge of a squad of men-at-arms in the fore castle, while I am positioned in the aft castle to relay the captain's orders in the height of battle. My good friends and young companions, James, Benjy, Davy and Tink are assigned their posts; Benjy and Davy to the fore castle to keep the archers supplied with arrows, and James and Tink to the centre of the ship to help man the sails.

Our first voyage is short and uneventful. Captain Locke clearly didn't expect trouble as only a single squad of men-at-arms manned the fore castle and the only noble on board was the son of some minor Welsh lord. Nonetheless it was good training for the new sailors. My experience at running along narrow London roof tops and jumping across gaps at height proves useful in the rigging on board ship.

Before long I'm spending my free time up the single mast on the narrow ledge used by the lookout. The older men, who are usually assigned as lookout, invariably have a kind word for me as they come on duty. They mistake my reasons for being their though. As time progresses it is becoming harder for me to keep my disguise as a boy intact, particularly now we have a full crew of soldiers on board and James and I must top-'n'-tail in a hammock at night.

It is on a clear morning, as we sail along the coast of southern England bound for Portsmouth, that I see smoke coming from something on shore. I point it out to the lookout who promptly calls an alarm to the captain. The _Dolphin_ turns towards the smoke to investigate and we are rewarded with the sight of a French ship raiding the coastal town ahead of us.

The call to action stations is made and I join Captain Locke in the aft castle. Around me are six knights in armour and thirty men in thick leather jerkins. There too is the young Welsh noble, whom I now know as Lord David of Powys, son and heir to the Earl of Powys, who is related by marriage to King Henry VI. Of course I would never speak to such an important person unless spoken to, but I do think he looks splendid in his bright armour with its red rose motif engraved on the breast plate confirming his Lancastrian loyalties.

Engaging a warship at sea is tricky and rarely attempted. Carracks like the _Dolphin_ must grapple the other ship and the soldiers fight in hand to hand combat while the archers rain death from above. The experienced sailors say that many captains will refuse to fight an enemy ship while on the open sea. Captain Locke isn't one of those, however.

The French ship doesn't look very big, so despite our inexperience we stand a good chance in a fight. If only we can catch and board her. As the French ship approaches I see she is much bigger than I first thought. She's flying the French flag rather than a pirate's ensign, so the latest attempt by the English parliament to broker a peace treaty with France looks to be in tatters. She is making straight for us and, like us, clearly intent on taking a prize. My earlier confidence begins to wane.

Just as we seem to be about to pass the other ship Captain Locke orders a change of direction. After a few seconds I realise we are turning so as to match the French ship's course at a distance of about sixty feet. The French ship turns to close the gap but the _Dolphin_'s course changes to preserve the distance. Lord David of Powys shouts an order to his archers in the fore castle and a sheet of arrows is loosed on the opposing ship. I watch the sky in case there is a return volley.

"Don't you fret, Jack m'lad," says the helmsman. "An English longbow will out-range any French crossbow. We are safe for the moment." I can't help noticing he wears leather armour though.

We manage to send four more sheets of arrows into the French before they finally succeed in bringing their ship close enough to return fire. Moments later grappling hooks come flying over the sides. The French intend to attack the middle and rear parts of the _Dolphin_, leaving the men in the fore castle for later.

"Faber! Take a message to Squire Bliffil. He is to bring his men onto the middle deck and prevent the French from overrunning our sailors. The archers are to cover our defence, but stay in readiness to counter-attack when we get the chance," orders Captain Locke.

I rush down below and along the lower deck before climbing the internal ladder into the fore castle. There I see Bliffil cowering in a corner. His men ignore him as they prepare to defend their position. I relay the captain's orders to Bliffil but he isn't listening.

Benjy and Davy see me and between the three of us manage to convince the sergeant at arms that the order is from the captain. He musters his men and carries out Captain Locke's command. I'm about to return to my post by the captain's side when three crossbow bolts land with a thud only a few feet from me. I turn to see one of the bolts has struck Benjy in the chest. His lifeless body is almost touching me. The shots must have come from the French ship's rigging, but it is difficult to see exactly where because of the billowing sails of both ships.

Several archers scan the French ship for signs of the crossbowmen. It is not until they fire again that they give their position away. A volley of arrows sends two of them crashing to the deck. I don't tarry to find out the fate of any more.

Back in the aft castle things are looking grim. All around me are men in armour fighting hand to hand with swords and maces. The captain and I are one of the few without any form of armour. The young lord is swinging a cruel looking morning star while fending off two more Frenchmen with his shield. Then another Frenchman comes up behind him with a double handed sword and clearly intends to cut him down while he is distracted.

Without thinking I grab a pike that has been discarded in the melee. It is heavy but I manage to hold it straight and charge the Frenchman. He turns at the last moment and wildly swings his sword in my direction. His sword misses me and he takes the full impact of my pike on his chain-mail armour. Unfortunately for him chain-mail is no use against the piercing effect of a pike. He must have been dead before he hit the deck.

I don't remember much after that. The sight of a man I have just killed makes me numb. When I recover I find I'm splattered in blood and everyone is calling me Bloody Jack. The blood over me turns out to be from one of the Frenchmen Lord David of Powys had killed with his morning star.

"I owe you my life, Jack Faber. It is a debt I intend to repay. You have the word of David Tudor of Powys on that."


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

Our rally in the aft castle and a counter attack from the fore castle turns the battle in our favour and the French surrender a short while later. Among the French crew are several well dressed officers and gentlemen who should fetch a good ransom. The French ship's hold also contains substantial booty from it's earlier raid on the English coastal towns, including a few English gentry and merchants who had been captured and taken for ransom. The booty now belongs to the crew of the _Dolphin_ and tradition requires the gentry and merchants pay a reward for their freedom.

My career on the _Dolphin_ is cut short six months later when my femaleness is discovered. My hammock-mate, James Fletcher, has known for a few weeks. During that time we've enjoyed sharing our secret and a burgeoning romance was blossoming. We are off the coast of Lincolnshire, not far from the small fishing port of Boston, when my secret is revealed to the captain. To his credit he isn't angry, but is adamant I must leave the ship as soon a possible; as much for protection of my virtue and reputation as anything.

The _Dolphin_ docks at Boston and I am smuggled ashore to prevent the means of my arrival becoming common gossip. I'm taken to a convent just outside the town and placed in the care of the Mother Superior, Sister Miranda. My share of the _Dolphin_'s booty is handed to Sister Miranda to provide for my education and upkeep until such time a suitable marriage can be arranged for me. As for marriage, James Fletcher is the man of my choice, but neither James nor I are in a position to do anything about it for the moment.

This is the point in my life story that I believe Friar Peter will be interested in beginning his work. I doubt he would believe me if I told him my early life includes a period fighting at sea and living aboard a ship full of rough men.

"In 1441 I entered a convent school for young ladies in Boston. I was about 14 years old at the time. That's when I first met Clarissa Worthington Howe, Lisette de Lise and Amy Trevelyne."

"Amy who?" asks Peter. Even though history knows them better by their married names, Clarissa and Lisette need no introduction to Peter. Clarissa was already betrothed to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York when I met her and Lisette was the niece to King Charles VII of France. Amy, however, came from a little known but moderately prosperous family who owned an estate in nearby Norfolk.

"You will possibly know her as Amy Pickering. She married the son of one of King Henry V's Chief Justices. She was my employer for a while before becoming my closest friend. We still correspond regularly."

"No. I don't think I know her. Now, before you continue; what name were you known by back then?"

"Mary Faber, although I was sometimes known as Jacky."

"Faber? That's your current surname. Did you never marry?"

"Oh yes. But with my husband being away so often during the troubles, he felt it better for me to use my maiden name to protect our children from any trouble their father's name might attract. But we are jumping ahead of ourselves."

Friar Peter holds his further questions for now and I resume my account.

My life at the convent school would never be easy. I had attended school in London until my parents died, but not since. Consequently I am behind the other girls in my studies when I start. But I am bright and eager to learn, so I soon catch up in most subjects.

The convent provides an education for the daughters of nobles and gentlemen with the one aim of grooming them to provide a future husband with a wife well trained in the social and household duties expected of her. Even though I had no prospect of marrying a member of the gentry, the nuns held out hope of finding me a suitable husband among the many merchants and traders rising to prominence. My low-born origins are never allowed to be forgotten and at first most of the girls regard me as an upstart who needs to be kept in her place. Amy is my one true friend among them.

My friendship with Clarissa and Lisette changes for the better after the nuns take a party of girls on a picnic to one of the local beaches. By then the long war with France had officially ended, but the French had not stopped all hostilities. French ships are still attacking the English coast, and the day of our beach picnic coincides with one of their raids. Thirty girls are captured, most the daughters of prominent nobles and gentlemen. The embarrassment and financial cost of their ransoms would be a national disaster on top of the humiliating loss of nearly all of England's French territories.

But the French have underestimated the fortitude and stamina of their captives, and we escape and find our way back to Boston. I stop myself in time from mentioning to Friar Peter that my knowledge of seamanship plays a vital part in our successful escape.

After that episode Clarissa, Lisette and I become firm friends. A friendship that survived the cataclysm that found Clarissa and Lisette on opposite sides of a long and bitter struggle for the English crown. Clarissa is married to Richard, Duke of York not long after we return to Boston, and a short while later Lisette is married to King Henry VI.

I knew little of politics at that time, other than without a strong king to control the lords, the people have become victim to every predator lord. There are many lords who murder and steal land from weaker lords and landholders with impunity. In the 1440s the law is easily manipulated by powerful men, and in response many estates are fortified and garrisoned. With so many soldiers returning from France and looking for work, it is easy to hire men to help protect your estate.

Amy married Ezra Pickering a few months later and they have moved to Gresham, one of the Norfolk estates Ezra had inherited following the death of his father three years before. His father had purchased this estate from a bankrupt lord ten years ago. Unfortunately for Ezra and Amy the English law regarding property ownership is complex and even a legal purchase can be overturned if a descendant of the former owner claims the sale deprived him of his inheritance. A scoundrel by the name of Henry Flashby, a distant relation of the former owner, makes such a claim. Flashby is prepared to back his spurious claim by sending men to seize the manor house by force and occupy the estate.

Ezra is in London at the time and Amy alone in the house with four elderly servants. A lesser woman would have fled to Ezra's mother's estate a few miles away, but Amy takes up residence a hundred yards away in their gatekeeper's cottage to show the world that the Pickerings are still in residence. Her presence deters Flashby's men from collecting rent from the estate's tenant farmers.

That is when Amy asks me to join her as her paid companion.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

While there are plenty of soldiers for hire, Ezra and Amy cannot afford to match the numbers of Flashby's men. Their income relies on the collection of rent from their tenants, and Flashby's men are making it impossible to do that safely. I doubt Amy intended to put my life in peril but by agreeing to become her companion I have also become her unofficial bodyguard.

Flashby's men make themselves very unpopular with the villagers and even make trouble in the nearby town of Dereham. It soon becomes common knowledge that Flashby has the backing of the powerful Duke of Suffolk. The county sheriff and several judges are in the Duke's pocket and make no effort to stop Flashby's men. Flashby rarely visits Norfolk so protests about the behaviour of his men by the local gentry and the mayor of Dereham fall on deaf ears.

Ezra spends most of his time in London trying through the courts to have Flashby's claim to the Gresham estate dismissed and his men evicted. But without the backing of a powerful lord, Ezra's efforts are being continually stalled.

At Gresham the uneasy truce between Flashby's men and Amy and her servants is near breaking point. So far Flashby's men have been careful not to cause injury to Amy or her servants as that would almost certainly force the county sheriff into taking action. But verbal abuse and the occasional stone through a window at night are a different matter. Amy refuses to retreat from the gatekeeper's house despite the pleas of several of her friends and relations.

The three month old impasse breaks during one of Flashby's rare visits to Norfolk. Ezra, who is still in London, receives word of Flashby's intended visit only the day before he arrives. Ezra is still on his way back from London when Flashby and his men force their way into the gatekeeper's house and started ransacking it. Amy, her servants and I had taken to wearing padded leather jackets several weeks earlier after a crossbow bolt was fired through one of the windows. We had also stocked up on weapons, although only I had any experience in using most of them. Amy can at least use a crossbow and when Flashby sees us ready to fight he decides against any physical attack on Amy or the rest of us.

In reality we have no option but to gather what we can and leave the house. By the time Ezra arrives we have moved to a nearby inn with the few possessions we could salvage from Gresham. Ezra's protests to the sheriff and local judge achieve nothing and Flashby departs a couple of days later leaving his men firmly in control of Gresham. Ezra and Amy find a small house to live in while they try to conjure the miracle they need if they are to get their estate back.

I decide not to tell Friar Peter the next part of my story, but as we break for a short rest I recall what happened.

There isn't room for me in Ezra and Amy's new house. Now Flashby's men are in full control of Gresham the danger to life and limb has eased. But these are lawless times and danger is never far away. It is with a heavy heart that I part company with Amy and make my way east to the port of Yarmouth. I find a job singing and dancing at an inn. The Pig n'Whistle is a better class of tavern compared to those by the docks and the tips are good. It is at the Pig n'Whistle, some six months later, when some of my old shipmates from the _Dolphin_ come in for a drink. Davy Jones recognises me first and I renew my acquaintance with my friends, especially my ship-father, Liam Delaney. Unfortunately Jaimy and Tink are not among them. Tink was injured and had to leave the ship not long after I was discharged, and Jaimy was posted as part of the prize crew of a captured French ship and has not been seen for three months.

My shipmates are discharged from the _Dolphin_ which has been taken out of service for extensive repairs. Not that there's a shortage of work for sailors. German and Dutch merchant ships are eager to employ experienced sailors, and Yarmouth is one of the ports they call at regularly.

The reunion with my shipmates lasts for several weeks. During that time Davy and Annie Byrnes, my friend and co-worker at the Pig n'Whistle, decide to marry. Their wedding serves to remind me that I'm nearly 20 and unmarried. My fantasy of reuniting with James Fletcher and settling down to a happy married life is starting to fade. I've had no direct word from Jaimy in six years, even though I've made sure to keep in touch with the convent in Boston.

Liam Delaney is able to give me news of Clarissa, who is currently in France with her husband as guests of the Duke of Burgundy. She has been producing babies at a rate of one a year since she was married, although sadly not all have lived to see their first birthday.

Our reunion eventually ends. Liam doesn't stop long and returns to his wife and family in Ireland. Davy and several others sign on a German merchant ship and set sail for Hamburg. When they are gone I decide to make one last attempt at finding Jaimy and see if our shipboard romance can be rekindled. Not that I've lacked male attention these last few years, some of it welcome, other times not. I leave my job at the Pig n'Whistle and board a ship for Boston. I need to check that no word of Jaimy has been received at the convent.

My choice of ship is unfortunate. The captain of the _Wolverine_ turns out to be a lecherous old bully and makes no secret of his unsavoury intentions towards me. His crew are fearful of him and I quickly realise the danger I'm in. What should have been a two day journey proves to be a two year odyssey which sends the course of my life in an unexpected direction.

Instead of sailing north for Boston, the _Wolverine_ heads south for Spain. Fortunately for me and the crew, the captain is a sickly man and incapable of commanding his ship. After a few days at sea he never leaves his cabin and begins to relay his orders through me in my capacity as the captain's mistress. Not that he's laid a hand on me yet, but I must sleep in his cabin and outwardly pretend he's not so sick that he's impotent.

Among the crew I soon count Joseph Jared and Robin Raeburne as my friends, even if they dare not go against the captain directly. A week later the captain dies. By rights I should inform the crew, but there is no clear second in command and we are close to hostile French territory. When I boarded in Yarmouth the captain and several others mistook me for a lady of breeding and therefore the only member of the gentry on board. A mistake I didn't seek to correct at the time thinking it would ensure me a better standard of accommodation on board the _Wolverine_. Now there's a risk the crew may hold me for ransom.

I had spent enough time next to Captain Locke on the _Dolphin_ to understand the basics of seamanship. I'm a quick learner and even docking a ship in rough weather doesn't worry me unduly. I continue to pretend sailing orders are coming from the captain when if fact they are my own. It is a ruse I can only keep up for a few days before the smell from the cabin will make it clear what has happened.

Two days later I take Joseph and Robin into my confidence. To my great relief they don't seek to oust me as de facto captain of the _Wolverine_. We decide to return to England and I issue an order to change course. However we have not gone far before a small fast French ship comes towards us. From the look of her she's one of the many craft that raid merchant ships that stray too close to the French shore.

We can't outrun her so I order everyone to take up their assigned defensive stations.


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

The _Wolverine_ is not designed for ship to ship combat. Unlike the _Dolphin_ she lacks any form of defensive structure, relying on speed rather than strength. But the approaching ship is also designed for speed and, judging by the number of men on her deck, is well manned.

The French ship approaches on a course that clearly anticipates our immediate surrender. But I've correctly gauged the mood of the _Wolverine_'s crew, and they will fight. As soon as our archers are in range I order a change of course that throws the French ship into confusion. Our one advantage is the extra range of an English longbow over a French crossbow. As long as I can keep the _Wolverine_ at the correct distance we can fire on the French ship without fear or reply.

However the French ship is very manoeuvrable and we can only fire five salvoes before the French succeed in getting a grappling hook into our rigging. This is soon followed by more hooks and lines and before long the two ships are bound together. The only option is to fight it out or surrender.

I grab the short sword I had found earlier and join Joseph by the rail ready to repel boarders. As we look across at the French ship we can see the devastating effect of our archery. The numbers are now more evenly matched. I have one last trick up my sleeve before we must resort to physical strength. I had seen Captain Locke perform such a manoeuvre on the _Dolphin_. I order the main sail to be cut free so that it falls onto some of the French about to board. The fickle wind causes it to fall slightly askew but it causes enough confusion among the French to give us the chance we need. Instead of the French boarding us, we board the French ship.

It's a close fought battle and there are many casualties. I take an injury to my derrière which later provides a source of mirth for my crew. The French captain eventually surrenders and the _Emerald_ is ours. By the time we reach Portsmouth on the south coast of England I and many other injured seamen are up and about.

Now England and France are officially at peace, even if not in practise, captured French vessels must be notified to the Admiral of England. As acting captain of the _Wolverine_ it is my task to go to London and meet with the Admiral of England, the Earl of Warwick, and negotiate the future of the _Emerald_ and the bounty for the crew of the _Wolverine_.

With Joseph Jared as escort, I arrive in London for the first time since I left 8 years before. This time I won't be sleeping in alleys and can afford price of two rooms in a respectable inn. Joseph still believes me to be a lady of some importance and I can't find the courage to tell him otherwise.

Wanting to see the Earl of Warwick and getting to see him are two entirely different matters. We spend two weeks waiting patiently for his clerk to respond with an appointment. In the end it is a chance meeting with Lisette de Lise, now Queen Consort of England, after church on Sunday morning that secures a meeting with the Earl of Warwick.

My meeting with Lisette is brief and her ladies in waiting are present. Her conversation is guarded but I know full well hers is a political marriage to secure peace between England and France. Still, I sense she is adapting well to ruling a country and stands no nonsense from the various dukes and lords who advise the king.

"Take care with the Earl of Warwick," Lisette warns me. "He may be young but he's inherited his father's power and influence. Unlike his father, though, the new Earl has only one loyalty … to himself."

When I meet the Earl a week later I begin to see what Lisette meant. He is no older than I but already holds powerful positions in government. It was his father who commenced the reconstruction of England's fleet, and the new Earl seems determined to expand it further, despite an end to the war with France and a general shortage of money.

His solution to this dilemma is simple. Ships such as the _Wolverine_ and _Emerald_ would be privateers; owned by their captains, but available to be called on to serve in the name of the King when required. In return the ship's captains enjoy the diplomatic and military protection of the English government while overseas.

Consequently a month after I arrived in London I depart as captain and owner of the _Emerald_ with the Earl of Warwick's letter of authority. Finding a crew willing to serve under a woman captain is difficult and I eventually solve the problem by seeking out Liam Delaney. Liam's adult sons join the crew and his young daughter Mairead briefly manages to sneak on board.

I could reminisce for hours about my adventures on the _Emerald_ but Friar Peter would not be interested in them. I resume my tale for Friar Peter.

"In 1450 I received word from the Earl of Warwick that he wishes to see me. I am in Boston at the time renewing my acquaintances at the convent. I had hoped to have time to visit Clarissa at her family home at Ludlow Castle. The Earl's summons changes my plans.

"The country has progressively slipped into state of civil unrest and lawlessness. At a time when a strong leader is needed, Henry VI proves too indecisive for the task. The people are angry at the comprehensive defeat at French hands. Blame for the military loss would normally rest with the King. But Henry VI had inherited his crown as an infant and only recently took over control from the Council of Lords who had been ruling England on his behalf. Despite their many disputes the lords agree on one thing; one individual must be held responsible for the defeat or they will all be seen as accountable.

"By quirk of fate the miracle Ezra and Amy had been hoping for arrives out of the blue. The lords of England finally decided who to blame for the humiliating defeat at the hands of the French. The Duke of Suffolk is arrested for treason and tried for his crimes before parliament. Regardless of the weak case against him, the verdict is never in doubt; he, and he alone, is guilty. However, realising their own guilt by association, the lords in parliament feel a show of mercy is in order and the Duke is merely banished from the kingdom.

"With the Duke of Suffolk out of the picture, Ezra and Amy stand a chance of reclaiming their estate at Gresham from the hands of Henry Flashby. But they need to act quickly before Flashby recovers from the loss of his chief protector.

"The Earl of Warwick meets me as soon as I arrive in London. He orders me to transport the Duke of Suffolk from the Tower of London to Calais on board the _Emerald_. Why he chose me of all his captains for this task did not immediately become clear. When it did it was too late and my life took another unexpected lurch."


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

We set sail for Calais a week later. The Duke offers no resistance and seems relieved to be escaping with his life. Not far from the coast of England another of the Earl of Warwick's ships hails us. Apparently there are new orders from the king. We allow the the _Nicholas_ to draw alongside. Too late we realise a trap. Men from the other ship seize the Duke and hold a mock trial on board the _Nicholas_. The Duke is sentenced to death. Half an hour after we are boarded the Duke is dead and his body thrown into the sea.

While powerless to stop the events on the other ship, I'm alert to the danger I and my crew are in. Independent witnesses to what just occurred would be unwelcome regardless of who is behind the attack. I quietly give instructions to my crew and at the right moment we overpower the squad of men from the _Nicholas_ on board the _Emerald_ and set sail at top speed for Ireland.

We reach Ireland safely but it is several weeks before news of what occurred reaches us. In one final act of defiance the Duke of Suffolk's body doesn't sink, but is washed up on the Kent coast a few days later. When his body is discovered there is a huge outcry among the lords of England. Difficult questions are asked of the Earl of Warwick, in whose custody the Duke had been placed. In a swift sidestepping move the Earl directs blame on the ship's captain … a certain Jacky Faber.

I don't need my friends to warn me that my life is in danger. A reward is posted for my capture, dead or alive. I trust my crew without hesitation, but I can't ask them to risk their lives by sailing with me. The Earl of Warwick will clearly stop at nothing to cover his back and only my death will guarantee his safety. With a heavy heart I leave the _Emerald_ in Liam's care and say farewell to my friends. The _Emerald_ changes her name to the _Shamrock_ and it is many years before I see her again.

My journey takes me to Scotland where the uneasy peace between England and Scotland is fraying at the edges. Small raids across the border by both sides are increasing. However the presence of a strong English force under the command of William Allen, Earl of Northumberland ensures the Scottish raids are small, and the political tensions across England deters Lord Allen from dissipating his force in a large scale attack on the Scottish.

My Scottish exile had one unexpected benefit. After nearly 10 years I'm reunited with my hammock-mate from the _Dolphin_, James Fletcher. We meet in an Edinburgh street one Sunday afternoon. He is as pleased to see me as I am him.

"James!?"

"Jacky! What a surprise. I heard of your troubles but I'd no idea where you'd gone. You need to be careful here, though. The Earl of Warwick has his spies in the Scottish court."

"I'll not be going anywhere near the Scottish court and I'm known as Mary McTavish here. But what are you doing here?"

"I'm not allowed to say, but so much has happened to me since we last saw each other."

We find a quiet corner in a small inn and catch up on our news. James' father has been granted the title and estates of the Earl of Oxford. While his older brother is heir to the title, James can expect to inherit a good sized piece of land on his father's death. His new prominence provides access to the nobility. While he's still unwilling to say why he's in Scotland, I strongly suspect he's acting on behalf of Lisette as the Queen's personal envoy to the Scottish court.

James confirms what many people had already suspected. Henry VI has recurring bouts of mental instability. A tussle is growing for the right to be Regent between Lisette, as Queen, and Richard, Duke of York, the current heir to the throne. Despite repeated claims of loyalty to Henry VI, the Yorkist supporters are manoeuvring to take power.

The problems in England are soon forgotten as Jaimy and I renew our romance. A month later we are married and settled in our own small house in the outskirts of Edinburgh. Over the next five years Jaimy makes repeated journeys between Edinburgh and London. I worry deeply each time he's away. But I'm not alone. In no time at all I've two bonny babies to care for, a boy, James, and a girl, Nancy, named after my mother.

English politics intervenes in our happy family life in 1455. Parliament had granted Richard, Duke of York the Regency a few years earlier despite Lisette's strong resistance. Her claim to rule was strengthened in 1453 with the birth of her son, Edward, Prince of Wales, who becomes the new heir to the throne. But powerful lords like the Earl of Warwick cast their support behind the Yorkist cause. Having gained a strong grip on power an event no-one expected occurs to overturn all the careful preparations made by the Yorkists … The king regains his faculties and the Regency promptly ends.

Fearing reprisals, Richard and his supporters hastily muster their troops in the north of England and march south on London. They meet the king's hastily prepared army at St. Albans, just north of London. It is not a large battle, but the Yorkists kill two prominent Lancastrian lords, the Earl of Northumberland and the Duke of Somerset. The king is captured and returned to London. Stripped of her power, Lisette is commanded to care for her husband and child and take no further part in politics.

These lords clearly don't know Lisette very well. Nor do they appreciate the extent of the friendship between Clarissa and Lisette. As wives of the opposing leaders, they should have nothing to do with each other. If anything their friendship grows over the next five years. But they clearly can't be seen together, so they need a go-between. A mutual friend by the name of Mary Fletcher fits the bill nicely.

In exchange for Clarissa arranging for all the trumped up charges against me being dropped, I agree to move with James and my children from Scotland. We find a cottage in a small village that is conveniently placed to reach both Coventry, where Lisette and the King have set up court, and Clarissa's home at Ludlow Castle. Most of the messages I carry between Lisette and Clarissa are by word of mouth. None of us dare contemplate what would happen if a letter is intercepted by any of the powerful lords. I and my children become regular visitors at both homes.

With the death of the generally disliked Duke of Somerset at St. Albans there is briefly a hope of peace. But the opportunity is squandered. Despite Clarissa's pleas to her husband, he appoints only supporters of the House of York to positions of power. He only succeeds in driving the lords loyal to King Henry and the House of Lancaster into their strongholds in Wales and the north of England.

The Earl of Warwick is soon flexing his increased power, but oversteps the mark in 1460 when his ships are seen attacking foreign merchant ships in a blatant act of piracy. I learn of this from Lisette who asks me to convey a message to Clarissa.


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7

"Lisette says the Spanish Ambassador has made a formal complaint. The Earl of Warwick will be summoned to the King's court to answer for his actions," I say to Clarissa. "She would like your husband's support in having the Earl arrested."

"I doubt he will break his alliance with the Earl or Warwick so readily, but I shall ask. In any case, the Earl won't come to Coventry peacefully. He has powerful support in London, and I can't see him being careless enough to go into Lancastrian territory without his supporters," replies Clarissa.

"The mood of the lords at the King's court is grim. If the Earl of Warwick marches north of London with an army at his back, then he will almost certainly face a fight."

"I shall talk to Richard as soon as he returns from Ireland, and see if I can influence his actions. He might be more willing to help if Lisette gives up her son's claim as heir to the throne in favour of Richard. Parliament has already passed a law to that effect, so it would only be a formality."

"An unjust law passed by a parliament at which only Yorkist lords were summoned to attend. I think we both know Lisette's likely response to that proposal."

"It's the only way I can see to avoid bloodshed. The people are tired of being ruled by corrupt Lancastrian lords. Look at the trouble Ezra and Amy are having with reclaiming their estate at Gresham. Even with the Duke of Suffolk dead the legal process is dragging on. Now the Duke of Norfolk is interfering in their case."

"So I heard. But the Duke of Norfolk is a Yorkist. Not all abuse of power comes from the Lancastrians. The Earl of Warwick is a case in point."

Our discussion is briefly interrupted by the sound of children. My two are happily playing chase with Clarissa's youngest two, George and Richard. How much longer will they be allowed such simple pleasures? If civil war breaks out then Clarissa's children could become powerful pawns in the battle for the throne. The Yorkists will see them as future leaders and kings, while the Lancastrians will see them as a threat to be eliminated. I can't help note that her eldest two boys, Edward and Edmund no longer live at home. As well garrisoned as Ludlow Castle is, it is not impregnable.

After an hour of conversation on more pleasant matters, I gather my two from the care of Clarissa's daughter, Margaret, and accept the offer of a carriage ride back to my cottage.

I don't see Clarissa for several weeks, but when I do it is clear her husband will not give up his support for the Earl of Warwick. Throughout this period Jaimy continues to travel to and from Scotland. As secret as he tries to make his trips, there are several lords on both sides of the political divide who know he is an envoy for Lisette. While neither Jaimy nor I support one side over the other, Jaimy's life will be in danger if the Yorkists gain absolute control.

After months of steadfastly refusing to leave his stronghold in London to answer the King's summons, the Earl of Warwick marches his army north in July 1460. With him are the Duke of Salisbury and Clarissa's eldest son, Edward. They defeat the King's army at Northampton and capture the King.

While King Henry is taken to London, Lissette and her son flee first to Wales and then to Scotland to raise a new army with the help of the Scottish King James II. The outcome of all Jaimy's journeys to Scotland is coming to fruition. The new Earl of Northumberland, Henry Allen is a loyal Lancastrian and the strong castles he controls near the Scottish border provide a good launching point for a Lancastrian counter-attack.

In London, Richard, Duke of York strengthens his grip on power. While King Henry nominally remains on the throne, the power really rests with the Duke of York, Earl of Warwick and their Yorkist allies.

But not all the country supports the Yorkists and rebellion in Lancastrian controlled areas increases. For safety, Clarissa and her children move to London and stay at Ezra and Amy's London house for a few months.

Determined to crush the rebellions as quickly as possible Richard marches his forces north towards York. His son Edmund and the Duke of Salisbury accompany him. Meanwhile, a second army under the command of his son Edward marches into Wales to put down the rebellion there.

I know Jaimy is with the Lancastrian forces in Scotland. His father and brother are there as well. As for me, I decide to stay put. I was briefly tempted to take my children and go visit Amy in Norfolk, but news of trouble there made me think again.

In the space of six months the war is decided … for the moment. But the cost in life is terrible. The Yorkist march on York in December proved disastrous. The two armies met at Wakefield and Clarissa lost both her husband and second son in the fighting. Having overrun the Duke of York's army, the Lancastrians push south. The Earl of Warwick prepares strong defences at St. Albans. But he underestimates Lisette's ability as a military leader and his positions are outflanked. Another Lancastrian victory, the King freed, and London lay open before them. But Londoners don't like the prospect of a predominantly Scottish army pillaging and looting their city, so refuse to allow the Lancastrians entry. They hold out long enough for Clarissa's son Edward, the new Duke of York, to march his army from Wales and relieve the siege.

The Lancastrians retreat to York where the two armies meet in a fearful battle at nearby Towton. Nearly 20,000 men die on both sides before the Yorkists finally win the day. Edward, Duke of York, is proclaimed king. Lisette escapes to Scotland but many of her supporters are killed. Among the dead are Jaimy's father and brother, along with many Lancastrian lords. It is several weeks before I hear from Jaimy again. He was not at Towton that day, as Lisette had sent him on a mission to her father's castle in France. By the time he returns, the war is decided and all that remains is for him to bury his father and brother and obtain a pardon from the new King Edward IV for taking up arms against him.

A pardon is not a foregone conclusion. The few Lancastrian lords who were not killed in battle are arrested and executed for treason. James is lucky and is granted a pardon. This in turn means he can inherit his father's title of Earl of Oxford, but unfortunately most of the estates are seized by the crown because of his father's treason. All of a sudden I have become a lady, but a rather impoverished one. But I don't advertise my new title just yet. Danger still lurks while lords and their followers seek revenge for past wrongs. Murders and kidnappings increase markedly in the early month's of the new king's rule.

Law and order is gradually restored and I finally considered it safe to join Jaimy at what will be our family estate not far from Oxford. At least it will be more convenient for visits to Amy, particularly now it is relatively safe to travel.

When Jaimy shows me our new home for the first time I feel overwhelmed.


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

All my schooling at the convent in Boston comes back to me. Lessons I paid little attention to, thinking I'd never need to put them into practise, become essential. Managing an estate this large is a big task.

My biggest challenge is Jaimy's mother. This was her home and it is not her fault the small estate her husband left her in his will was confiscated by the crown. Technically she is homeless, but neither Jaimy nor I will throw her out. While she happily shows her gratitude to Jaimy, she treats me as an interloper on her domain. It doesn't help build a good relationship.

I manage several visits to Amy over the next few months. She has a family of six, all of whom are fit and healthy. Her eldest, John, is nearly 18 and is studying at Oxford University. They have finally recovered possession of Gresham, but their claim for damages and compensation from Flashby is meeting with little success. Despite this they are prospering. The loan of their London house to Clarissa the previous year has paid unexpected dividends. Ezra's association with Clarissa and her family has not gone unnoticed by the rich and powerful, and his friendship is much sought after.

As the next couple of years pass and the remaining rebellions in the far north and west are gradually put down, I manage to make a trip to Ireland to look up Liam Delaney and his family. Liam has now retired to his farm, but his sons still work the _Shamrock_ between Ireland and England. Staying with Liam is their daughter Mairead. She was only twelve years old when I last saw her. Now she is in her twenties and the widow of a Lancastrian knight by the name of John Grey. He had been killed in battle at St. Albans leaving her with two children to support.

Mairead and her two children return with me to England. They need a long term home and our estate is large enough. I welcome her company and friendship as we settle into the life of country gentry. Unfortunately Jaimy is away a lot. He is very secretive about his movements and more than one friend has hinted he is still regarded with some suspicion by Yorkist lords.

Clarissa visits occasionally. My role of go-between with Lisette has ended. Lisette is in France living with her son in the court of her father, the Duke of Lise. King Henry VI was captured with the last handful of Lancastrian supporters near the border with Scotland. Rumour has it he was taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick.

On one of Clarissa's visits we are taken by surprise. She has brought along her son and our sovereign, King Edward IV. The visit isn't entirely social however.

"Lady Fletcher. Are you loyal to your king and country?" asks King Edward of me.

"Er … Yes, your Majesty," I reply. Well 'no' isn't an answer to that question! Not unless you've got a death wish.

"Good. My mother tells me you know Lisette de Lise. Well enough for her to admit you to her company and trust what you say. Is that so?"

"We were friends at school. I believe she will see me if I were to visit, but as to whether she would trust anything I say is another matter."

"Well you had best practise at being convincing, because you are going on a trip to France. You are commanded to take a letter to Lisette de Lise, which the Earl of Warwick will give you, and return with her agreement. Can you be ready to leave by the day after tomorrow?"

"Er … I suppose I can, your Majesty. But my husband is away at present. He will expect me home when he returns."

"Well he may be disappointed. But then he shouldn't be away so often. He keeps company with men whose loyalty to the crown is suspect. He would do well to stay home more often and keep out of the notice of the Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Warwick."

A clear warning to Jaimy which I've no means of passing on to him at the moment. It's a good job Jaimy's mother is visiting her sister at the moment or she'd have a fit.

"Oh, and your children can stay here in England. Given your husband's activities I wouldn't like it if you decided not to return. I presume you have someone to care for them while you're away?" adds the king.

"I will care for James and Nancy," offers Mairead.

"Thank you, Mairead," I reply, carefully hiding my annoyance with the king at being put in this situation.

But I needn't have worried about my behaviour. King Edward seems to notice Mairead for the first time and it is a classic example of love at first sight. The conversation moves on to more pleasant topics.

Two days later I'm ready to depart for France. All I need is the letter I'm to deliver to Lisette. I've no idea what it will contain, so don't know how easy or hard it will be to obtain Lisette's agreement. No-one has mentioned the consequences that might befall me if she doesn't agree.

It is mid-morning when a rider approaches the house. It's one of the Earl of Warwick's squires. I sigh with relief that it isn't the Earl himself. Although his false accusations against me have been officially dismissed, I don't feel so ready to forgive and forget.

"This letter contains your instructions; and this one is to be handed to Lisette de Lise in person. A reply is expected and you are not to return to England until you have her reply," says the squire, full of self-importance and not bothering to dismount from his horse.

I open the letter addressed to me. As I already suspected, King Henry VI is held prisoner in the custody of the Earl of Warwick. The Earl and King Edward are willing to make a trade. If Lisette returns to England and formally renounces her son's claim to the throne, then she will be reunited with her husband as soon as he formally abdicates. I can't see Lisette agreeing to this. Nothing is said about what happens once the Yorkists get their way. The fact the offer is being made suggests the residual rebellions in the far north and west are causing more trouble for the Yorkists than they are admitting. But I have been ordered to deliver the message and I don't intend to delay.

A quick farewell to my children and Mairead. I leave a letter for Jaimy should he return before me. I put on the clothes I used to wear as ship's captain on the _Emerald_. Travelling as Jack Faber and dressed as a man of rank avoids the need for the escort Lady Fletcher would require. Furthermore, it is likely to throw whoever the Earl of Warwick has assigned to trail me off the scent. There are a few stops en route I intend to make and I don't want them known to the Earl.


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

My first additional stop is at Gresham to visit Amy and Ezra. They have good contacts with several Yorkist lords. I need to know the true extent of the unsuppressed rebellions and whether King Edward's offer is genuine, or a clever ruse to trick the Lancastrians into surrender.

Ezra tells me the latest Earl of Northumberland, Richard Allen, is still holding three castles in his home county and refusing to surrender. But there is rumour that King Edward may agree to a deal with the Scottish King which will cut off supplies to Lord Allen's army from Scotland. In Wales, there are two castles in Lancastrian hands which are being besieged by the Yorkists. The castle at Harlech is in under the command of David Tudor, the current Earl of Powys, whom I'd last met on board the _Dolphin_ twenty five years before.

My next stop is Yarmouth. Annie and her growing family still live near the Pig n'Whistle. Her husband and my former shipmate, Davy, still works on board a German merchant ship. As such he picks up a lot of news about what is happening in Europe. Unfortunately I've just missed Davy by a few days, but Annie knows all the latest gossip from his last voyage.

The ongoing war between Louis XI, King of France and Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy has temporarily quietened while each leader attends to other things. Charles the Bold is busy laying siege to a German city on the Rhine, while Louis XI is trying to make an alliance between England and France. Ironically it is just the alliance England wanted fifteen years earlier under Henry VI, but not under Edward IV, who favours an alliance with Burgundy.

Once again disguised as Captain Jack Faber and armed with a better picture of what is going on, I find a merchant ship heading for Calais and book passage. It is a short and uneventful voyage and I don't stay long in Calais. I hire a coach and a small escort of Flemish mercenaries to take Lady Mary Fletcher to Angers where Lisette is currently staying.

My choice of escort is risky. Being robbed or murdered is less likely with an English escort, but we are heading into French held territory. Flemish mercenaries fight for both the French and Burgundians, but English mercenaries only fight for Burgundy. The chances of an English escort reaching Angers without running into trouble is negligible.

So I put on my best mess-with-me-at-your-peril look and put my safety into the hands of six burly men who probably haven't had a bath in years. Fortunately they are never called on to fight on my behalf, but they prove useful in intimidating sentries and town militia who might have otherwise expected payment of a toll to pass whatever bridge or gate they are guarding.

I arrive at the court of the Duke of Lise in Angers one July afternoon in 1466. Lisette is surprised but pleased to see me. She and her son are treated as poor relations by her father and the other lords in the Duke's court and news from England offers a possible way out.

Unfortunately she is disappointed at the letter I carry and as I suspected she refuses to accept King Edward's terms.

"I will give you a letter with my reply to hand to the usurper and his toady, the Earl of Warwick. After that, can I impose on you to deliver something to the Earl of Powys," says Lisette.

"I'll deliver your reply to the Earl of Warwick, but whether I'll be in a position to do more depends on whether the Earl of Warwick believes in shooting the messenger," I reply.

While Lisette's refusal is no surprise to me, I am still very nervous about delivering her reply to the Earl of Warwick.

"Then perhaps you should see the Earl of Powys first and enlist his help in delivering my reply to the Earl of Warwick," suggests Lisette.

"Well I like that idea better, but the Earl of Powys is currently trapped at Harlech Castle surrounded by a Yorkist army."

"Not quite surrounded. The Yorkists haven't blocked the seaward side. A daring captain could deliver a package and retrieve the Earl from Harlech Castle under the noses of the Yorkist force. Do you still have your ship? The _Emerald_."

"She's no longer called the _Emerald_ but I believe its current owner might lend it to me for one voyage."

"Good. Now would you like to meet your husband?"

I stand flabbergasted at the casual way Lisette announces Jaimy is here in Angers.

"Er … Yes, please. I didn't realise he was here."

"A necessary deception. His presence here must be kept secret for you and your children's safety. I shall summon him for you."

Jaimy and I are allowed a couple of days reunion and we don't waste a moment. It seems like an eternity since we were last together and who knows when we might be reunited again.

Our blissful couple of days ends when Lisette announces her package for the earl of Powys is ready. James is allowed to accompany me as far as the French coast where I expect we must part. A French ship will take me to Ireland where I will contact Liam and see if I can borrow the _Shamrock_. The French knight who accompanies Jaimy and I from Angers hands me a map just as I'm about to board my ship.

"The wreck of a Spanish ship is shown on this map. Legend says she was carrying gold and treasure from the last crusade to the Holy land. Enough to finance a large army for several months. Retrieve what you can and deliver it to the Earl of Powys and you shall be rewarded. Lord Fletcher, you are released from your duties and may accompany your wife"

Early next morning the _Fleur de Lise_ departs with the two of us on board. Neither of us can believe our luck at making this journey together.

But like it or not we are now both deeply involved in the Lancastrian cause and there's no turning back. I go to our small cabin and study the map. I know the area where the wreck of the _Santa Magdalena_ lays. The water is not particularly deep but the treacherous currents will make recovery difficult.

We relax as much as possible during our two day journey. I doubt we'll get much relaxation for the next few weeks.


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

Liam is delighted to see both Jaimy and I, and is more than happy to return the _Shamrock_ to my temporary command. After all, he insists, I'm still technically the owner. His only condition is that his sons and their crew accompany us. He would come himself but he's not as young as he once was and is feeling his age.

He has one piece of news that takes us both by surprise. The interest King Edward had shown in Mairead when I last saw them has blossomed into a whirlwind romance and they were married in secret only four weeks after I left them. Liam is now father-in-law to a king.

I fortunately had the sense to keep the true nature of our mission secret from Liam. I doubt he would report us to the sheriff, but I don't want to put him in the position of having to choose between divided loyalties.

He has no recent news of James and Nancy but believes them to be safe in London in Mairead's care. While it is a comfort to know they are safe, I don't fool myself into believing they won't be in danger if our plan to help the Earl of Powys becomes known in the wrong quarters. Liam promises to get word to them that their parents are safe and are thinking of them.

The _Shamrock_ docks a week later and after taking on supplies we set off on our voyage to the west coast of Ireland. We find the spot marked on the map easily enough. This desolate part of Ireland has been the graveyard for many ships driven onto the rocks by Atlantic storms. Today the weather is calm and we can move close to the supposed site of the wreck. There is nothing visible above the waves, and I know the strong current is likely to have smashed the wreck to pieces over the years. Any treasure is likely to be scattered along the sea floor.

I put on my diving costume and prepare to make my first dive. The water isn't very deep but is bitterly cold, even in summer. I can't stay in the water for more than 15 minutes at a time.

My fourth dive locates a large piece of wreckage. It is impossible to say whether it belongs to the _Santa Magdalena_ but it is a start. Several dives later and I've found more wreckage, but none of it is as large as the piece I found first. After a rest I try searching the sea floor for treasure. It is slow and difficult work. Even on a calm day the treacherous current tries to dash me against the rocks.

Three days of searching produces a few coins and a gold chalice from the seabed. We are becoming disheartened when our luck suddenly changes. I've tried to calculate where the currents would sweep any treasure and wreckage. On impulse I start searching an area some distance from the original location. My hunch pays off. A small underwater cave has trapped several pieces of wreckage, among them two chests. We haul the chests onto the _Shamrock_ and check our find. Both contain a large quantity of jewels and gold coins.

Whether there are more chests of treasure under the waves must remain a mystery for the foreseeable future. The weather starts to deteriorate and we must abandon our search or the _Shamrock_ will suffer the same fate as the _Santa Magdalena_. Our haul is substantial and after a brief discussion we decide that one chest will be for us and one for the Lancastrian cause. I divide our share among the crew and place James and my share in our cabin.

We set course for Harlech on the west coast of Wales. As we get nearer I tell the crew what we need to do. My plan is not without risk and we've no idea whether the Earl of Powys is expecting us.

As evening approaches we can see Harlech castle before us. There are no Yorkist ships in sight and only a few fishing vessels in the harbour. What we don't know is which side controls the harbour. Despite the failing light the lookouts of both sides must have seen us by now.

"We must sail straight in and reach the castle before the Yorkists can muster enough men to stop us," says Jaimy.

"That may get us in, but we need to get back to the ship afterwards as well," I add.

As we get closer we can see soldiers in camps flying Yorkist banners between the harbour and castle. My heart sinks. We've no chance of making a stealthy dash for the castle under the cover of darkness. We are still deciding what to do when our lookout reports a fishing vessel is coming towards us. It is too small to be a threat, but it could contain a messenger.

The fishing vessel pulls alongside as darkness falls. The sole passenger nimbly crosses to the _Shamrock_ and climbs to the aft deck. He is little more than a boy but carries himself with all the arrogance of a member of the nobility.

"I will speak with your captain," he says to one of the hands.

"I'm the captain," I respond.

"A woman? … Hmpph … Your name?" he says barely disguising a sneer.

"You can call me Bloody Jack. My real name is none of your concern. And yours?" I reply refusing to be cowered by this young fool.

"Owen of Pembroke. My father is Earl of Pembroke. I am ordered to offer you one thousand pounds to convey six of our number to safety," he says in a tone that indicates he thinks the sum is too much to offer a mere ship's captain.

"And you can pay this sum before we sail?" I ask.

"A promissory note issued in the name of King Henry VI will be handed over once our party is aboard your ship."

A piece of worthless paper unless Henry VI can reclaim his throne. There seems no prospect of that at the moment. But this boy doesn't know we've been paid already and I need David Tudor's help to rescue my children.

"Is the Earl of Powys one of the men we're to transport?" I ask.

"He is. And his nephew Henry Tudor."

"Very well. I agree to your terms. But how are we to get them aboard with the Yorkist army surrounding the castle?"

"There are secret passages. Be by the headland over there this time tomorrow night. A red signal lantern will indicate we are ready to board. Have your longboat ready to pick us up from the shore."


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11

We pull out to sea and stay out of sight during the day. We return the next night and wait patiently for the signal. It is after midnight before the signal is seen. Our longboat is sent ashore and retrieves our six passengers without mishap. By dawn we are out of sight of the shore and heading for south Wales.

Young Owen's arrogance takes a knock when David Tudor welcomes me like a long lost friend. It takes a further knock when he reveals that I am Lady Fletcher, wife of James Fletcher, Earl of Oxford and not some common sea-wife.

I deliver Lisette's package to David Tudor as promised. It contains a signet ring, but the significance of the ring remains a mystery to me. I'm introduced to the others we have rescued. The three who's names weren't known to me before are Richard Allen, Earl of Northumberland; Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke; and Mary Tudor, his wife. It seems I'm not the only woman who can carry a convincing disguise as a man.

As soon as everyone is aboard and our longboat stowed we set sail. The besieging Yorkists have been very lax in not challenging us so far and I want to be out of sight by dawn.

"Four years of siege warfare makes soldiers tired and complacent," says Richard Allen when I comment on the ease of his escape.

"I had heard you were besieged at Lindisfarne Castle. You are a long way from your estates."

"My estates no longer, I'm afraid. The Yorkists' treaty with King James of Scotland trapped us and left us with no food and supplies. I managed to escape with some of my men and arrived at Harlech a couple of weeks ago. The Yorkists here are poorly trained and lack equipment so it will be a long siege. The Earl of Carnarvon will be able to hold Harlech castle for a while yet. But the Tudors and I have urgent business elsewhere."

As dawn breaks we are well to the south-west and out of sight of land. James and I join our guests for breakfast.

"We owe you our thanks for our timely rescue, Captain," says Jasper Tudor. "It is fortunate you arrived when you did. We need to go to Pembroke. Are you able to take us there?"

"I can, but I ask a favour in return. Many years ago, on board a ship called the _Dolphin_ the Earl of Powys made a promise to a young sailor; me. I would like him to redeem his promise."

"Gladly, Jacky," says David Tudor. "What would you have me do?"

"My son and daughter are guests in the Tower of London. I believe they are being well looked after, but as soon as I deliver the message I am carrying to the Earl of Warwick I fear their lives may be in danger. I need your help to free them."

"Hmmm … You are asking a Lancastrian lord to walk into the heart of Yorkist territory and help two children escape from the most heavily guarded building in England. You don't ask for much!"

"I have a plan. I will tell it to you later and you can refuse to help me if you don't like it."

"And what role will your husband play in all this?"

"None. As soon as we disembark in Pembroke, the _Shamrock_ will take Jaimy back to France. He must deliver something to Lisette de Lise in Angers."

Jaimy isn't the only one shocked at my last comment. We had initially intended to hand the treasure chest to the men we have rescued, but I realise they have neither a single leader not a coherent plan. Lord Allen would be the best military leader, but the Tudors are the closest surviving relations to King Henry, so take precedence among the House of Lancaster. It is best for Lisette to make the choice of how the treasure is to be used.

We dock in Pembroke under the cover of darkness. The town is in Yorkist hands and two of the Earl of Warwick's ships are in the harbour. Fortunately neither looks ready for sea and have only a single watch posted. I say farewell to Jaimy and land with the Tudors and Richard Allen. The _Shamrock_ sets sail at once and I begin my journey to London to deliver Lisette's reply to the Earl of Warwick and rescue my children.

David Tudor and Richard Allen say farewell to the other Tudors and accompany me on my journey. David is with me because he promised, and Richard because he is heading our way … or so he says. Our first stop is the Fletcher estate at Oxford. I need a change of clothes and some up to date news. Hopefully both will be found at Oxford.

It's a two day ride from Pembroke to Oxford. We learn a lot from people we meet on the road. King Edward is not as popular as he was a few months ago. Rising taxes and continuing calls for recruits for the army are causing discontent among the people. The mood is still a long way from rebellion, but it is the sort of disgruntlement that had eventually toppled the Lancastrians from the throne.

"Give me 10,000 soldiers and I could spark a widespread uprising in these parts," says Richard, observing the same prevailing mood I detected.

"Not before I rescue my children," I say.

We arrive at Oxford to find I'm no longer lady of the manor. It seems my silent departure has been interpreted as treason, and James and my estate has been seized and handed over to a Yorkist toady. My heart sinks when I realise the new lord is none other than Ezra and Amy's nemesis, Harry Flashby.

"Don't worry, Jacky," comforts David. "You'll get your lands back when you deliver your message and they realise their mistake."

I'm not so certain, but there is little I can do for the moment. Fortunately I have friends loyal to me on the estate. Peg, one of farmer's wives, has saved my clothes and some of my belongings.

I once more don my best Lady Fletcher dress and borrow one of the neighbours coaches. With David and Richard disguised as a coachman and footman, we set off for London.


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12

As soon as we are settled in lodgings in London I make plans to see Mairead. David and Richard meanwhile contact some of their allies currently living in London. It doesn't take me long to discover which church Mairead attends and I quietly slip into the congregation the following Sunday.

"You're looking well, Mairead," I say conversationally as I walk close to her on our way out of the church.

"Jacky! Oh, Jacky! We'd all thought you turned traitor and were hiding in France. The Earl of Warwick has sent his agents to France to find you. It took all my powers of persuasion to stop him throwing James and Nancy in prison … or worse."

"Are they alright?" I ask. I'm concerned but not entirely surprised by this news. The confiscation of our house in Oxford warned me to expect this.

"Yes. James is working as a page boy to the former King in the Tower of London, and Nancy is one of my ladies in waiting. Both are safe until such time the Earl of Warwick can prove you are a traitor. I don't trust that man. He makes it clear he thinks I'm an unsuitable queen for Edward."

"That's because you are not of royal blood. I too have my reasons to be wary of the Earl of Warwick. But I must deliver the reply to the message your husband commanded me to deliver to Lisette de Lise. Once that is done then I have done my duty and proved my loyalty. It would be safer for me to deliver it direct to King Edward. Can you arrange it?"

"I will try. Edward is a busy man. He …"

"Well, well. This is a surprise," comes an unwelcome voice. The Earl of Warwick.

"My lord Warwick. You forget your manners," chastises Mairead.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. It was your companion's presence which surprised me."

"And why should that be so, my lord," I respond following Mairead's lead. "I was commanded to go to France to deliver a message and return with a reply. It would be difficult for me to deliver the reply without being here."

"Don't get smart with me, woman. My spies report you haven't been seen in France, particularly anywhere near Lisette de Lise."

"I chose not to be seen and I was obviously successful. Perhaps you should replace your spies. I have her reply for the King."

"Hmmphh … Then deliver it to me tomorrow morning," he says as he marches off. His lack of courtesy to Mairead astounds me. She may not have been born of royal blood, but she is nevertheless Queen Consort of England.

"I shall see if Edward will see you this afternoon," Mairead offers, clearly offended by the arrogance of the Earl of Warwick.

I don't know how Mairead arranges it but four hours later I'm in the presence of King Edward IV with Lisette's letter in my hand.

"There are those who claim you never left England's shores. Equally there are others who say you fled to France and turned traitor. You have my wife's unwavering belief in your abilities to thank for the continued safety of your children. I see she is someone who's advice I should listen to more often," says the King while I am curtseying at his feet.

He reads Lisette's letter twice before turning to face me.

"Do you know the contents of this letter?" he asks me.

"I know she did not accept your terms, Your Majesty. But I don't know the exact contents of her reply."

"Hmmm … Well at least you are honest. I recommend you keep out of the Earl of Warwick's reach for a while. He won't like the contents of this letter and he is a firm believer in blaming the messenger of bad news. I shall order your children returned to you. I suggest you take them back to Oxford and live quietly."

"My house has been confiscated, Your Majesty. I have no home to return to."

"Really? It wasn't taken on my orders. Ask your husband to come to London and I will hear his petition to have your estate returned to you. In the meantime I think my mother will be delighted to have you as a guest."

The King ends our discussion and I go to find Mairead and Nancy.

We have lunch together and I'm surprised at how much Nancy has grown in the time I've been away. She has adapted well to being a lady in waiting and both she and Mairead ask if Nancy can continue in that role. I resist the temptation to refuse and keep Nancy close to me, but recognise she will soon be thirteen and of a marriageable age. As a lady in waiting to the Queen Consort, her prospects of finding a good husband are much greater than as the daughter of a homeless sea captain. I agree with a certain degree of nervousness.

Recovering James from the Tower of London is not so easy. Despite the King's order, the Captain of the Tower Guard is one of the Earl of Warwick's men. No-one leaves the Tower without the Earl's approval, and I know better than to ask for that. But I have loyal friends in Richard Allen and David Tudor. While I make myself comfortable as Clarissa's guest, my friends arrange for James to be released from the Tower. Less than a day later I'm reunited with my son.

Richard and David refuse to say how they managed it and I know better than to push the matter. But staying in London is not a good idea, so Mairead arranges for James and I to take refuge at the Abbey of St. Benet in Norfolk. Abbot Grenville is a friend of Liam Delaney and well known to Mairead. He is willing to help me and James. The abbey's location is ideal for visiting Ezra and Amy, and my friends in Yarmouth.

And so my life is set for the next couple of years. I get the occasional letter from Jaimy in France, and I manage several visits to my friends around the country. Nancy has caught the eye of the son of the Duke of Buckingham and there are suggestions they may wish to marry. I still have over half my share of the treasure from the _Santa Magdalena_, so a dowry for Nancy would not be a problem. Everything would be fine if only politics would keep out of our life.


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13

The year 1469 starts quietly, much like the previous two. It doesn't stay that way though thanks to the Earl of Warwick. I suppose I should take some of the blame for the brewing trouble. My complaint to King Edward that our house in Oxford had been seized prompted the King to investigate the actions of the Earl of Warwick. As a direct result, the King decided the Earl was getting too powerful and reduced his authority. The Earl didn't take too kindly to having some of his many offices handed to other lords and started plotting.

To the surprise of virtually everyone, the Earl of Warwick finds a willing co-conspirator in Clarissa's third son, George. They started scheming to overthrow King Edward. In a daring move the Earl gathers a large army and succeeds in defeating the King's army in battle. King Edward is captured and the Earl of Warwick briefly holds two kings captive.

But it can't last. The other lords refuse to support the Earl of Warwick, and King Edward is freed. The Earl of Warwick flees to France while George makes peace with his brother.

If nothing else, the Earl of Warwick is a determined man. In an incredible switch of loyalties, the most hated enemy of the Lancastrians becomes their champion. He makes a deal with the King of France, who agrees to help raise an army to overthrow King Edward and restore King Henry to the throne. Lisette initially refuses to have anything to do with the plot, but reluctantly agrees to return to England and be reunited with her mentally unstable husband. The treasure Jaimy delivered to Lisette from the wreck of the _Santa Magdalena_ finds its way into financing an army lead by the Earl of Warwick.

Events move quickly and the Earl lands his army in the south of England. Within a few weeks he controls London. King Edward flees to Holland where he has the protection of the Duke of Burgundy. Mairead and her two babes seeks refuge in Westminster Abbey. My Nancy is with her for several weeks before the newly restored King Henry VI grants them safe passage to join me in Norfolk.

However Lisette still refuses to leave France with her son Edward, Prince of Wales. She correctly realises that King Edward IV and his Yorkist supporters are gathering an army with the help of the Duke of Burgundy. The battle for the throne is far from over.

The restoration of a Lancastrian king is good news for Jaimy and me. Jaimy returns from France and the promissory note that I was given at Harlech is paid in cash. Our estate in Oxford is returned to us and we waste no time in reclaiming it. Our only disappointment is that Harry Flashby once again avoids arrest and escapes to Scotland.

Ezra and Amy benefit as well. The Duke of Norfolk has been trying to expand his estates at the expense of the Pickerings. With the change of king, the Duke flees to Holland with King Edward and Ezra is able to reclaim his land.

But King Henry is clearly too ill to be fit to rule. The real power behind the throne is the Earl of Warwick. Many lords are distrustful of the Earl's intentions and as a result delay rallying to his aid when King Edward and his army land in the north of England. The Earl marches his army to meet the Yorkists. Among his army are Jaimy and two of Amy and Ezra's sons, Ezra junior and John.

The two armies meet in thick fog at Barnet. The battle is muddled and confused, but by the time it is over, the Earl of Warwick lies dead and the Lancastrians defeated. Jaimy, Ezra and John are uninjured and manage to escape to Norfolk.

But as bad as the defeat at Barnet is for the Lancastrian cause, worse is to follow. Lisette and her son have finally landed in the west of England only a few days before the battle. With their escorting troops they travel north to Wales intending to join the Lancastrian army commanded by David Tudor. But bad weather prevents them from meeting and King Edward's army traps them at Tewkesbury. The Yorkists gain a second victory in a matter of weeks. Edward, Prince of Wales is killed in battle and Lisette captured. With King Henry VI a prisoner in London, the Yorkists are now in total control of England. To make sure the Lancastrian cause is ended, Henry VI is murdered a few days later. King Edward IV is once again reinstated as King, and Mairead and her children are reunited with her husband.

As for the Fletcher family, our fortunes once again collapse. Fortunately Nancy and James are safe. Nancy had remained by Mairead's side throughout the turmoil and her loyalty is rewarded by the King's consent for her to marry the Duke of Buckingham's son. James had gone to join David Tudor's army but arrived too late to be involved in the battle. I had a worrying few weeks before I finally heard he was safe and in Wales with the Tudors.

As for Jaimy and I, we know it will only be a matter of time before our estate is once again confiscated. We don't delude ourselves into thinking Jaimy's involvement in the Earl of Warwick's insurrection will be easily forgiven. But nothing happens and I begin to hope it will all blow over.

I get news that young Ezra and John Pickering have been pardoned for taking up arms against King Edward. I share Amy's relief at that news. But while Jaimy is not arrested, there is still no word of a pardon for him.

Weeks turn into months. News reaches us that other lords have been pardoned; Richard Allen and David Tudor among them. It seems King Edward wants to put an end to the rivalry for the throne now the Lancastrian line is all but wiped out. By pardoning those who have taken up arms against him, and in restoring confiscated estates, he goes a long way to restoring peace to the land. Even Lisette de Lise is released and permitted to go to France in exile.

The Duke of Norfolk is now one of the most powerful lords in England. It is he who delays a pardon for Jaimy in retribution for Jaimy helping Ezra secure the Pickering lands in Norfolk from the Duke's grasp.

As Ezra and Amy know to their cost, the Duke of Norfolk is a vengeful man. News reaches us the Duke of Norfolk has prepared evidence to show Jaimy is a traitor, and it is only a matter of days before Jaimy will be arrested. We must act. We have enough of the _Santa Magdalena_'s treasure left to live comfortably wherever we choose. But if we both leave Oxford it will only be seen as proof of Jaimy's treason. Reluctantly we agree to part once again and Jaimy leaves for France.

His departure is not a moment too soon. Two days later the sheriff arrives with an escort to arrest Jaimy for treason. With him is none other than Harry Flashby. I just hope Jaimy has made good his escape.

Two weeks later Harry Flashby is once again given possession of our estate and I am homeless. With Mairead's help I return to my life as a pilgrim at St. Benet's Abbey. This time, however, I'm known as Mary Faber and no mention of my connection to Jaimy is mentioned. Abbot Grenville and the other monks are happy to keep my secret and for all intents and purposes Lady Fletcher, wife of the Earl of Oxford, has disappeared.


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

My story for Friar Peter must now jump a few years. I doubt he would be interested that both James and Nancy married and had children of their own during this period.

Sadly some of my friends succumbed to the outbreak of the plague that spread through Europe in 1479. Amy lost both her husband Ezra and Ezra junior, and my ship-father Liam Delaney, David Tudor and Lisette de Lise were among those who died. My only consolation is Harry Flashby died as well.

As for Jaimy, he returned to England in 1477 but was almost immediately betrayed by one of his companions. I never had the chance to see him before he was arrested. Luckily he avoided being charged with treason, but he was sentenced to prison for an indefinite period.

Officially I am one of several women staying at St. Benet's Abbey performing great deeds of charity and piety during this time. These are the customary activities of wealthy widows and single women who have passed child bearing age. My actual adventures are best not mentioned to Friar Peter, particularly since Abbot Grenville has taken my secrets to his grave. Suffice to say that during my time at St. Benet's I found time to retrieve more treasure from the wreck of the _Santa Magdalena_ and spent a year long pilgrimage along the River Rhine as far as the Lorelei.

I resume my story for Friar Peter.

"The sudden death of King Edward in 1483 ended the period of peace. Mairead and her teenage children are returning to London for the funeral when they are stopped by a small force under the command of Clarissa's fourth son, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Mairead's two sons, Edward and Richard are taken to the Tower of London to await Edward's coronation as King Edward V. Mairead and her daughter Elizabeth move to Westminster Abbey to mourn King Edward IV.

But treachery is in the air. In the space of a few days, the two princes in the Tower are murdered and Richard, Duke of Gloucester claims the throne as King Richard III. Mairead is not even allowed to keep her royal title, and becomes Lady Grey, taking her first husband's name. She and her daughter seek refuge with Nancy, whom is now Duchess of Buckingham. I leave St Benet's Abbey to join them.

The circumstances of Richard III's ascension to the throne unsettles the country. After 14 years of peace the lords of England are once again divided. The lines are drawn between supporters and opponents of King Richard III. However the opponents now include both Lancastrian and Yorkist lords. For the first time, powerful Yorkist lords look for a Lancastrian claimant to the throne. As remote as Henry Tudor's claim to the throne is, he is recognised by many lords as the rightful Lancastrian heir to Edward V's crown.

But Henry lacks an army and his supporters are too scattered. In the north, Richard Allen easily musters his forces to support Henry, but further south the people's loyalties are more divided. King Richard III can call on the support of the Duke of Norfolk who ruthlessly sets about suppressing any revolt. Henry Tudor and his closest supporters flee to France. My son James and his family are with him.

But even the Duke of Norfolk cannot stop the growing tide of opposition to Richard III. Henry's growing army is bolstered by a further hundred men when my own husband, Jaimy, convinces the garrison of his prison to join Henry's cause. He not only gains his freedom but adds to the Lancastrian army.

Henry makes his move and on a fateful day in 1485 the two armies meet at a place called Bosworth Field. King Richard is trapped on the battlefield when his horse is killed and dies trying to escape. Henry Tudor and his army are victorious and shortly afterwards he is crowned King Henry VII.

A few months later Henry marries Mairead's daughter Elizabeth, who is now the new heir of the Yorkist line to the throne. In doing so he unites the Lancastrian and Yorkist claims to the throne and a hundred years of dynastic division is ended. Not that it prevents some disgruntled Yorkist lords from plotting insurrection. But the battle at Stoke yesterday should have ended that."

"Assuming you are correct in saying Henry Tudor won," says Friar Peter, still sceptical of my earlier assertion about the battle's outcome.

Later in the day a rider stops by my cottage. It is my son James. As I suspected he had been fighting by Henry Tudor's side as he did at Bosworth Field two years ago.

"We won a great victory. John Pickering and I have been knighted for our valour on the battlefield. I'm Sir James Fletcher, Knight of the Realm now. Father was there too. The king has promised him restoration of all grandfather's estates in gratitude for father's loyal support to the Lancastrian cause over the years."

I welcome the news, although I've no idea what Jaimy intends to do with all those properties once they are handed over to him. James stops for a meal before heading off to give his wife and children the news. Friar Peter shrugs in acknowledgement of my earlier claim of a Tudor victory.

"There's one thing I don't understand," asks Friar Peter as he puts away his writing tools. "Why was your husband so involved with the Lancastrian cause? From what you've told me, he has no Lancastrian family background."

"Oh didn't I say. Until his death there was a common rumour that Lisette's son Edward, Prince of Wales, was not the natural son of Henry VI. What is not so well known is that Edward's real father was Jaimy. He and Lisette were lovers long before I married Jaimy."

"But he kept up the relationship throughout your marriage," says Friar Peter in a shocked tone. "He has been unfaithful to you all these years."

"Some may view it that way. But I knew all along what was happening. His absences gave me freedom I would not have otherwise enjoyed. I am happy with my life and Jaimy has given me two wonderful children," I reply.

Friar Peter still seems shocked at my ambivalence to Jaimy's behaviour. But then I haven't exactly been pure as the driven snow in that department myself. Thankfully Abbot Grenville has taken the secret of my liaison with Richard Allen to his grave.

The End


End file.
